<![CDATA[Studies on the semiotics of song lyrics with themes of love have been widely conducted. However, research specifically examining the construction of a child’s love for a mother in Arabic songs through Roland Barthes’ three levels of signification (denotation, connotation, and myth) remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the meanings of love represented in the lyrics of Ya Ummi by Ahmed Bukhatir and to explain the ideological and spiritual constructions embedded within them. This research employs a qualitative approach using a descriptive-analytical method. The data consist of words, phrases, and clauses in the song lyrics that contain signs of love, which are analyzed using Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory through the stages of denotation, connotation, and myth. The findings indicate that the meaning of love in Ya Ummi extends beyond emotional affection and encompasses longing, respect, devotion, sincere emotion, value internalization, and psychological needs. At the denotative level, the lyrics directly express affection and longing for the mother. At the connotative level, these expressions develop into symbols of emotional closeness, respect, and filial devotion. At the mythological level, the mother is constructed as the center of life, a source of moral guidance, an emotional refuge, and a figure of profound spiritual significance. This study contributes to the enrichment of Barthesian semiotic studies on Arabic song lyrics and demonstrates that religious songs can function as a medium for transmitting moral, cultural, and spiritual values that shape a child’s identity and life orientation.]]>
